1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to sports devices and more particularly to an improved type of archery bow arrow rest.
2. Prior Art
Conventional archery bow arrow rests support the arrow shaft in the archery bow window before launching of the arrow. Most such supports are merely shelves attached to the sidewall of the bow and projecting horizontally into the bow window through which the arrow passes during shooting. It has been found that most rests interfere to some degree with arrow flight, deflecting the arrow from its intended path because the arrow feathers or vanes strike the rest during shooting. This also causes wear of feathers and vanes, inducing erratic arrow flight and requiring frequent vane and feather replacement.
Collapsible rests have been devised to solve this problem, but are expensive and not entirely efficient and reliable. Moreover, most rests do not sufficiently support the arrow shaft to prevent its inadvertent movement thereon during drawing of the bowstring by the fingers, or with a tab and even with some types of mechanical releases, thus shifting the target hit point. They also do not prevent the arrow from rolling off the rest if the arrow is carried on the rest before the bowstring is drawn. This is sometimes done in hunting, where a hit may depend on the hunter's ability to shoot an arrow in a split second of opportunity.
A further difficulty with most rests is that they do not obviate the need for a separate side-pressure plate or cushion plunger projecting into the window from the bow sidewall so as to bear against the side of the arrow shaft and absorb some of the arrow shaft side bending forces (archer's paradox) encountered during arrow shooting with fingers. Such pressure plate or plunger, although expensive, is also useful when mechanical releases are employed because shaft side bending still occurs to some degree. However, the plunger must be adjusted to work well and it forms a separate mechanical obstruction against which the arrow vanes or feathers can readily strike to deflect the arrow from the desired target point during shooting.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved type of arrow rest which will prevent arrow shifting and roll-off while the arrow is stored or carried thereon, thereby making it ready for instant use, as is desirable and sometimes required in many hunting circumstances. Such rest preferably should also eliminate the need for a side pressure plate or cushion plunger, yet provide improved unimpeded, smooth arrow flight and greater speed and shooting accuracy, without feather or vane wear. Such rest should also be resiliently depressible to absorb the downward pressures exerted on the arrow at bowstring release during shooting. Moreover, the rest should be readily adjustable in position in the bow window in order to accommodate to various bows and arrows.